[MMike]

I wish I had done mine!

It's the icing on the cake of my disasterous Whistler trip the other day...

In my haste to get going, I did a very superficial bolt check at best before I set out from the parking lot. I neglected to check my caliper bolts. How I manged to do that, I've no idea.

So anyway, separate from the shredded spokes, exploded derailleur, twisted chain, and dead cassette, The lowers on my fork are no more.

My mechanic buddy just dropped the bike off here for me, looking very sheepish. While he had my bike, he was trying something with it. I think he mounted a different fork on it to verify something. I never have a problem with him doing that kind of stuff. I trust him implicitly with my bike.

So anyway, while putting my fork back on, one of the brake mount bosses snapped off the lowers.

Now, I must back up. The other day at Whistler when my bike crapped out, I tossed it into the jeep. When I took my front wheel off, I noticed that my caliper bolts were loose. I didn't think much of it at the time. But I must have stressed them pretty good and got a crack started. It just happened to fail while it iwas in the care of my mechanic!

So he feels awful. I told him that he shouldn't because really it was my own fault. But he's going to try to track down some lowers for me. What sucks is that the ones I just put on were brand new...

Anyhoo.... for the time being, ...ok...well no...for the time being I'm not going to do anything. But once I get back to Montreal, I'll re-install my old lowers.

(maybe the guy that sold them to me gave me defective parts!!...I'll have to kick his ass).


So remember kids! Do thorough bolt checks!

 

[Roasted]

I know the feeling. My jrT literally fell apart one run on the day. I now check my fork every run. Middle of ho chi min I lost one bolt and the other 3 clamp bolts were loose (after checking before the ride)

Good luck with the bike, luckily you won't be riding whistler much anymore

 

[SebringMGB]

at the last race, i heard this major rattling after a long patch of braking bumps, then i noticed a clunk when i hit the front brake. when i got to the bottom i realized my front caliper was about to fall off. i inspected it at the bottom, and a bunch of aluminum from the adapter/mount was actually melted into the arms on the iside of the rotor.

 

[Cohiba]

Damn! Sorry to hear about your mishap!
I was riding some DH at N* this week, and halfway down a run I noticed that my rear Hayes Rotor was loose. Thankfully got back down the mountain and tightened everything up.

Your story really got me checking all of my bolts now.

Cohiba

 

[DRB]

Right there with ya. Yesterday, I rode and came off a little jump at decent speed landed and my handlebar rolls in the stem sending my hands straight towards the ground, depositing me uncermoniously on the ground. Both forearms and knees scratched up and of course my back where the saddle nose slammed into my back feels like someone hit me with a sledgehammer.

The bolts were way loose. I had changed the handlebar out about a week ago and must not have tightened it all the way. Dumba$$.

The only danger in doing the bolt check is that lots of folks will turn each bolt a little more when checking it. I can remember a mechanic from one of the big teams at a national saying that he found bikes that had bolts that were way way over the torque spec for the particular bolts, which is dangerous as well.

 

[ChrisRobin]

I'm usually pretty good with bolt checks...I have trouble with spoke tension. I built up a rear wheel and used it for about 5 days of DH riding. I totally forgot to check it. So on the sixth day of riding (not 6 days in a row but over 2 a month and a half), I noticed my rear wheel was all crooked, had flat spots and half the spokes were loose. I just recently loosened everything an re-tensioned but it looks like crap now! Nothing blew up but I had it coming.

 

[llkoolkeg]

Checking bolts before riding is like checking your fly after exiting the men's room- crucial unless you want to introduce to the earth a part of your anatomy.

 

[Jou]

Ya i missed my stem bolts lastnight before riding. first drop (4-5ft to flat) the rolled under. Didnt' wreck, but it didn't feel good.

 

[Transcend]

I'm usually pretty good with bolt checks....

I bet you get good with that fast on a nicolai huh?
neaky:

 

[Ronny Grady]

and don't forget to add a little lock tite to those crucial brake bolts, nothing worse than losing your brake caliper into the spokes at top speed!

 

[The Kadvang]

I bet you get good with that fast on a nicolai huh?
neaky:

hahahhahaha

 

[MikeD]

I bet you get good with that fast on a nicolai huh?
neaky:

Actually, contrary to popular belief, proper speedhole tension is far more important than bolt torque on Nicolais.

 

[oly]

You still have the bottom tab still intact. I'd say ride it likr that. As you brake the force will rotate the caliper into the fork at the top causing it to stop moving. As long as you dont brake going backwards you should be fine...... you might just have to put up with a momentary lag in braking and a had clunk as it sets in......

 

[MMike]

You still have the bottom tab still intact. I'd say ride it likr that. As you brake the force will rotate the caliper into the fork at the top causing it to stop moving. As long as you dont brake going backwards you should be fine...... you might just have to put up with a momentary lag in braking and a had clunk as it sets in......

One screw and a hose clamp...I should be good to go...

 

[Tully]

What kind of fork is that?